Factors Associated With COVID-19 Vaccination Among Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups With HIV in South Florida

Abstract

Background: Racial/ethnic minority groups with HIV in the United States are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 consequences and can significantly benefit from increased uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. This study identified factors associated with full COVID-19 vaccination among people with HIV.

Setting: Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in Miami-Dade County, FL.

Methods: Data were collected from 299 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program adult clients during January-March 2022 using a cross-sectional phone survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). All analyses were weighted to be representative of the race/ethnicity and sex distribution of clients in the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.

Results: Eighty-four percent of participants were fully vaccinated with a primary vaccine series; stratified by race/ethnicity, the percentages were 88.9% of Hispanic, 72.0% of black/African American, and 67.5% of Haitian participants. Fully vaccinated participants were less likely to be black/African American than Hispanic (aOR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.67) and more likely to not endorse any misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines (aOR = 8.26; 95% CI: 1.38 to 49.64), to report encouragement to get vaccinated from sources of information (aOR = 20.82; 95% CI: 5.84 to 74.14), and to perceive that more than 50% of their social network was vaccinated (aOR = 3.35; 95% CI: 1.04 to 10.71). Experiences of health care discrimination, structural barriers to access vaccines, and recommendations from HIV providers were not associated with full vaccination.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of delivering accurate and positive messages about vaccines and engaging social networks to promote COVID-19 vaccination among people with HIV. This information can be leveraged to promote uptake of subsequent boosters and other recommended vaccines.